Hindustan Times

Blog Posts by Hindustan Times

The minnows have frequently punched above their weight and taken positive strides under coach Jamie Siddons. In a chat with HT the straight-talking Aussie calls it as it is.

Dambulla: It is a cricketing truism that numbers never fully tell the story of Bangladesh cricket. The minnows have frequently punched above their weight and taken positive strides under coach Jamie Siddons. In a chat with HT the straight-talking Aussie calls it as it is.

Despite the series loss in England, there were quite a few positives, including Tamim Iqbal's performance.

Certainly. We played competitive cricket and gave England a scare. Tamim Iqbal was a standout performer and people will agree that he is up there with the best. If you look at the replays you will know how he was in total control against the England attack. He is a world-class player and my philosophy is to produce as many world-class players as possible. If I can create three or four more like him, Bangladesh will be a world-class team.

He may have an athletic built, but Shane Watson had to overcome injuries before coming into the limelight. The Australia all-rounder, who has performed consistently in all formats, spoke to HT about the influence of IPL on his career and his preparation for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

Jaipur: He may have an athletic built, but Shane Watson had to overcome injuries before coming into the limelight. The Australia all-rounder, who has performed consistently in all formats, spoke to HT about the influence of IPL on his career and his preparation for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. Excerpts

You seem to be switching nicely between the three formats. What's the secret behind the consistency?

The last 14 months have been terrific because I have been consistent without getting injured. I am working hard, be it bowling or batting, because when I was younger I didn't play consistently due to injuries. The amount of cricket I have played over the last 14 months, there was a chance I

Deccan Chargers batsman Tirumalsetti Suman opens up on how the Indian Premier League has changed things for him.

Nagpur: T Suman's promotion up the batting order has proved to be a masterstroke for the Deccan Chargers. Having played a match-winning knock against the Royal Challengers, the 27-year-old overcame an attack of gastroenteritis to guide his team to victory against the Super Kings on Saturday. Suman spoke to HT on how IPL has changed things for him.

It was an indifferent start in the IPL before you were promoted up the order. What has changed now?

Nothing really. I was told that I would have to bat at No 3 an hour before the Bangalore match. Throughout my domestic career, I have batted as an opener so it was easy to adjust to the job.

In both the matches, your partnership with (Andrew) Symonds shaped the win. What inputs does Symonds give you between overs?

It's not just Symonds. Even (Adam) Gilchrist gave me a lot of inputs against the Royal Challengers. Both tell me to keep

Murali Kartik's life has been all about being left out of teams and watching glumly from the sidelines.

Bangalore: Murali Kartik's life has been all about being left out of teams and watching glumly from the sidelines. For once, the left-arm spinner was probably lucky to sit out, for he escaped the ire of his angry captain, Sourav Ganguly, after KKR were thrashed by the Royal Challengers. Kartik has recovered sufficiently from a groin strain, picked up on the field and exacerbated by a fall in the bathroom, and will be a key player in KKR's remaining games.

Are you doing anything different for T20 cricket?

Nothing different. It's a thin line between trying for wickets and being economical. My theory is that if I can bowl four overs for 24 runs, I've done a job for the side. It doesn't happen every time, but if the mindset is like that, you're serving your team.

Spinners are considered cannon fodder in international limited overs cricket. But in this IPL, the top three bowlers by

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, unfortunately left out of India's World T20 squad, is the leading wicket-taker so far in this year's Indian Premier League and holds, by virtue of it, the Purple Cap. Excerpts from an interview.

New Delhi: Much of the credit for the Daredevils' success has been given to their batsmen. However, one man has quietly contributed as much, if not more. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, unfortunately left out of India's World T20 squad, is the leading wicket-taker so far in this year's Indian Premier League and holds, by virtue of it, the Purple Cap. Excerpts from an interview.

Is a spinner being the leading wicket-taker in a T20 format unusual?

Look at it this way. Batsmen take chances on spinners, and if the spinner has the nerve, he can exploit those chances. I believe if you are a quality spinner who can think, and have confidence in your abilities, you can take wickets in any format.

Dwayne Bravo reveals his bond with Mumbai Indians, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar and his passion for singing.

Apart from being a vital cog in the Mumbai Indians' set-up since the IPL's inception, all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has played Twenty20 cricket across the globe. In an exclusive interview with the Hindustan Times, the Caribbean player reveals his bond with MI, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar and his passion for singing.

How would you differentiate between the Stanford T20, the IPL, the Big Bash and the Champions League?

They all are different in their own way, but the IPL, to me, is a lot harder. It's the hardest in terms of demand, it has the toughest opponents, it has so many quality international cricketers and we are surrounded by a lot of talented Indian cricketers. So, for me, it is the toughest among all these T20 tournaments. And, it's a tournament you really enjoy and you want to be a part of it. There is not much pressure to perform and the crowd coming to support is

India: Andrew Symonds' life is no less than a soap opera. The maverick cricketer opened up on his international career, life after retirement and the IPL. Excerpts from an exclusive interview.

India: Andrew Symonds' life is no less than a soap opera. The maverick cricketer opened up on his international career, life after retirement and the IPL. Excerpts from an exclusive interview.

Do you see some friendly faces or the same aggression in the Indian crowd now?

When I came to India before, the crowd used to go at me pretty hard. I think it's quite flattering if the opposition crowd sees you as a threat. So, I sort of used it to my advantage. It made me hungry to win. Now, playing for an Indian team, I believe the people here have sort of reinvented and tag me as a different person as I am playing in one of their teams. So, it's interesting to see how I am being received differently.

In a lengthy chat, Lalit Modi walked Hindustan Times through some of the issues dogging the Indian Premier League landscape.

Mumbai: Sitting in the 33rd floor clubroom of a plush hotel, Lalit Modi surveys the city's skyline like a monarch would - or perhaps a mafia don, depending on how you look at it. In a lengthy chat, he walked HT through some of the issues dogging the Indian Premier League landscape. Excerpts:

The tournament returns home in a climate of fear. The talk is all about security .

That's the reality today. Everybody needs to be more vigilant. After 9/11 and 26/11, the world has changed. As organisers and administrators it's our job to look into every aspect of security. The challenges have become more because every (terror) group feels that this is a good way of getting attention.

Eight teams to begin, 10 from 2011, 90-odd matches in a season. How much bigger can it get?

We're going to freeze it at 10 for the time being, at least for the next eight years. We have

I think mentally, this South African team is better prepared. That's the most important part but it's still going to be a challenge dealing with turning wickets, said stand-in SA coach Corrie van Zyl.

Both Proteas pacer Dale Steyn and skipper Graeme Smith mentioned how stand-in coach Corrie van Zyl had made a difference to the team and lifted its morale during the Nagpur Test. The day after South Africa wrapped up India with one day to spare, Van Zyl, a straight-talking, thoroughly professional "players' coach", opened up on the game and what lies ahead.

Trust Yusuf Pathan to make the impossible possible. He did it in on more than a few occasions in the Indian Premier League, but his achievement in the Duleep Trophy final on Saturday surpassed expectations.

Trust Yusuf Pathan to make the impossible possible. He did it in on more than a few occasions in the Indian Premier League, but his achievement in the Duleep Trophy final on Saturday surpassed expectations. The older of the Pathan siblings spoke to the Hindustan Times on Sunday.

How do you think this innings will change you as a player?

Any cricketer becomes more confident after such a knock. Now I will believe that I can help my team win from any situation if I apply myself properly. I will carry forward a lot of self belief into the zonal one-dayers (beginning on February 10). I have improved my skills as a One-day player and want to apply them in those games.

Do you think you have to work on your bowling to win your India place back?